A proposal has one job: make it easy for the client to say yes today. That means showing you understood the problem, saying exactly what you will deliver, and putting a clear price and a clear next step on the same page.
The template below is the structure we see win most often for studios and freelancers. It is short on purpose. Clients skim, so every section should earn its place.
- 01
Cover
Project name, client name, your name, the date and a proposal number. A number makes it easy to refer to later ("about proposal 014").
Example wordingBrand refresh for Larkspur Coffee Co. Proposal 014, prepared by Kestrel Row Studio, October 28.
- 02
The situation, in their words
Two or three sentences that restate the problem the client described on the call. Use their words, not your jargon. If they read this and nod, the rest of the proposal is already easier.
Example wordingLarkspur has grown from one café to four, and the brand still looks like the first one. You want packaging that holds up on a grocery shelf and an identity the new staff can use without asking.
- 03
What you will deliver
List the deliverables as concrete things the client will receive, not activities. "A 40-page brand guideline PDF" beats "brand strategy work".
- Discovery workshops and a competitor review
- Logo and identity system, three routes, two rounds of changes
- Brand guidelines, 40-page PDF plus a Figma library
- 04
How the project runs
A simple timeline in weeks, with the moments the client needs to show up: kickoff, reviews and sign-off. This sets expectations about their time as well as yours.
- Week 1: kickoff and discovery
- Weeks 2 to 3: three identity routes, first review
- Weeks 4 to 5: refinement, second review
- Week 6: guidelines and handover
- 05
Price and options
One fixed price for the core scope, then optional add-ons the client can tick. Options shift the question from "yes or no?" to "which version?" and raise the average deal size. Keep it to three add-ons at most.
- Core scope: $9,000 fixed
- Optional: motion pack, +$1,200
- Optional: packaging design, $650 per SKU
- Optional: landing page, +$3,200
- 06
Why us
One relevant case study and one short quote. Relevance beats volume: a single café brand you did is worth more here than ten logos from other industries.
- 07
Terms in brief
Payment schedule, what counts as a revision, how long the price is valid and who owns the work after payment. Link to the full contract rather than pasting it in.
Example wording50% to start, 50% on handover, invoices due in 14 days. Price valid for 30 days. All rights transfer to Larkspur on final payment.
- 08
Accept and sign
A signature block and a single sentence on what happens next. In HubSign, signing also sends the deposit invoice, so the project can start the same day.
Example wordingSign below and we will send the deposit invoice and a kickoff date within one business day.
Mistakes to avoid
- Opening with three pages about your studio. Lead with their problem.
- Pricing by the hour on a fixed-scope project. Clients compare totals.
- More than three options. Choice overload slows the yes.
- No expiry date. A proposal with no deadline waits forever.
Questions about this template
- How long should a project proposal be?
- Long enough to answer scope, timeline, price and next step. For most freelance and studio projects that is four to seven pages. Put supporting material such as full case studies and the contract behind links.
- Should I include a contract in the proposal?
- Keep them separate but connected. The proposal sells, the contract protects. In HubSign the services agreement fills itself from the accepted proposal and is signed in the same sitting.
- How long should a proposal stay valid?
- Fourteen to thirty days is typical. It protects you from prices going stale and gives the client a gentle reason to decide.
Use this template in HubSign
It opens in the block editor with every section above, ready to send, sign and invoice.
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